Cape Town - The family of a three-year-old girl who died after she was found locked up in an old fridge believe the child was assaulted and hidden.
The toddler was found unconscious in the yellow fridge in a neighbour’s yard several hours after she went missing from her house in Siteview, Grabouw, on Monday.
Babalwa Sityoshwana, 43, says they discovered her granddaughter, Siyanqoba Sityoshwana, 3, was missing shortly after 4pm and launched a search.
The neighbour, who allegedly told the family that he scolded Siyanqoba for playing in his yard, found the little girl in the locked fridge at about 9pm.
“They say she was naked and her wet clothes were also in the fridge,” says Babalwa.
The frantic family then hired a car to transport Siyanqoba to Hottentots Holland Hospital from where she was transferred to Tygerberg Hospital, where she later died.
“Doctors told us she was beaten against her head. She had a scratch on her forehead and back, and blood came out of her nose,” said a shocked Babalwa.
Aunt Phesizwa Sityoshwana, 27, added: “She started vomiting and her head was swollen.”
The tot’s traumatised mom Fundiswa Sityoshwana, 25, told Daily Voice: “The pain is too much. If somebody did this, justice must be served.”
The rusty yellow fridge lay face-down in the neighbour’s yard on Wednesday.
“He put it that way to prevent a similar tragedy,” explained a woman at the house.
However, Captain FC van Wyk said no foul play was suspected and an inquest docket has been opened.
“We are awaiting the results of a post-mortem to determine the cause of death. No one has been arrested at this stage,” said Van Wyk.
Daily Voice